Las Vegas Bride-to-Be Seeks Stolen Family Heirloom Wedding Dress

Crista Dettelis pleads for help in recovering irreplaceable dress and headpiece taken from her apartment complex's mailroom.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A Las Vegas bride-to-be, Crista Dettelis, is asking for help from police and the community after her family heirloom wedding dress and headpiece were stolen from the mailroom of her apartment complex. The dress was her mother's from 40 years ago, and the headpiece was her grandmother's from 75 years ago. Dettelis had the dress shortened in preparation for her legal ceremony in April, but the package containing the dress and headpiece disappeared from the mailroom after being delivered.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the vulnerability of packages left in apartment building mailrooms and the emotional significance of family heirlooms, especially for important life events like weddings. It also raises questions about security and accountability measures in apartment complexes to prevent such thefts.

The details

Dettelis said the apartment staff reviewed security camera footage and identified a resident who used a key fob to access the mailroom and take the package. When confronted, the man denied taking the dress. Dettelis has also heard from other residents about missing packages left on the mailroom counter instead of being secured in lockers.

  • The dress and headpiece were shipped to Dettelis' apartment complex last Saturday.
  • Dettelis discovered the package was missing when she went to the mailroom.

The players

Crista Dettelis

A Las Vegas bride-to-be whose family heirloom wedding dress and headpiece were stolen from her apartment complex's mailroom.

Elysian Tivoli Apartment Complex

The apartment complex where Dettelis lives and where the theft occurred.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

The law enforcement agency investigating the theft of Dettelis' wedding dress and headpiece.

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What they’re saying

“I wish that my wedding dress for the ceremony had been the one that got stolen, because I can replace that. But this dress that I was going to wear for my legal ceremony, it's irreplaceable. I cannot replace this. I can't get it back. It's a piece of my family's history.”

— Crista Dettelis (fox5vegas.com)

“We deserve to have some action and some accountability for this. So this doesn't continue happening.”

— Crista Dettelis (fox5vegas.com)

“I'm trying to stay positive and hope that somehow by a miracle, the dress comes back to me.”

— Crista Dettelis (fox5vegas.com)

What’s next

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the case is under investigation.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of secure package delivery systems in apartment complexes and the emotional significance of family heirlooms, especially for major life events like weddings. It also highlights the need for greater accountability and security measures to prevent such thefts from occurring.